She Traded Her Clinic Life for a Sailboat—And Never Looked Back
Most veterinarians hang their diplomas on clinic walls. Dr. Sheridan Lathe hung hers in the cabin of a 37-foot sailboat—and set off to change the world, one remote coastline at a time.
The Breaking Point
After years of traditional veterinary work across Australia and China—from treating koalas in rural Queensland to rescuing Asiatic Black Bears from the bear bile trade—Dr. Sheddy felt something shift. The clinics, the schedules, the landlocked routine. It wasn't enough anymore. When her marriage ended, she faced a choice: rebuild the same life, or chart an entirely new course.
She chose the sea.
Enter Chuffed: A Floating Veterinary Practice
In 2017, Dr. Sheddy made a decision that would raise eyebrows and inspire thousands. She purchased Chuffed, a sturdy aluminum-hull sailboat, and transformed it into something the world had never quite seen before—a mobile veterinary clinic that could reach the unreachable.
Through her non-profit Vet Tails, she began sailing to remote communities where "animal healthcare" was often a foreign concept. Places where a broken paw meant a death sentence. Where parasites went untreated for lifetimes. Where Dr. Sheddy and Chuffed became nothing short of miraculous.
Life Aboard: Where Medicine Meets the Horizon
Forget everything you know about a typical veterinarian's day. Dr. Sheddy's mornings begin with sunrise over open water, a steaming cup of tea, and often a surf session before the real work begins. She rows ashore to treat animals—sometimes for free, sometimes for whatever struggling families can afford—while educating communities about animal welfare in ways that will outlast her visit.
But sailing life is far from a postcard fantasy. There are engines to repair mid-ocean. Storms to navigate with a week's worth of groceries precariously stacked in a tiny dinghy. The emotional weight of witnessing animal suffering in places with zero resources. The physical exhaustion of maintaining a boat while running a veterinary practice single-handedly.
Yet somehow, it works. Fresh-caught fish for dinner. Quiet anchorages under star-filled skies. The profound satisfaction of knowing that the puppy she treated today will grow up healthy because she was there. This is Dr. Sheddy's normal—and she's documented every extraordinary moment of it.
From Surviving to Thriving: Finding Peace on the Water
Somewhere between fixing turtle shells and fixing boat engines, Dr. Sheddy discovered something unexpected. The combination of meaningful work, physical activity, connection with nature, and the meditative rhythm of life at sea had healed something in her that years on land never could.
Yoga on the deck at sunset. Meditation in remote anchorages where the only sound is water lapping against the hull. The simple, grounding act of surfing waves in places few people will ever see. These weren't just hobbies—they were survival tools. Ways to combat the burnout that plagues veterinary professionals worldwide. Ways to stay whole while giving so much away.
Sharing the Healing: Veterinary Wellness Retreats
Now, Dr. Sheddy wants to share what the ocean has taught her.
Having discovered her own path to peace and balance, she's created something specifically for fellow veterinary professionals who are drowning in stress, burnout, imposter syndrome, and compassion fatigue. Her Veterinary Wellness Retreats combine everything she's learned about resilience, self-care, and reconnection with purpose.
Picture this: yoga sessions in Mexico's golden light. Meditation in Fiji's crystalline waters. Healing ceremonies on Costa Rica's wild coasts. All while earning 10 RACE CE credits and rebuilding the foundation that makes you not just a better veterinarian, but a healthier, more balanced human being.
These aren't typical professional development seminars in fluorescent-lit conference rooms. They're transformative experiences in the same stunning locations where Dr. Sheddy found her own healing—designed by someone who understands exactly what you're going through because she's been there too.
Your Invitation to Set Sail
Dr. Sheddy traded security for freedom, routine for adventure, and burnout for balance. She proved that you can combine passion, purpose, and self-preservation into a life that doesn't just treat animals—it transforms communities and heals the healer.
Now she's inviting you to experience a piece of that transformation for yourself.
Limited spots are available for these all-inclusive wellness retreats. Whether you're struggling with burnout, seeking deeper meaning in your practice, or simply craving the kind of peace that only comes from watching the sun rise over the ocean, there's a place for you aboard this journey.
Ready to find your own horizon?
[Learn more about Veterinary Wellness Retreats →](Veterinary Wellness Retreats)
Because the world needs veterinarians who are whole, not just working.
